Tat's Heaven

This post is in celebration of Jane's TIAS - it ended today and so many "Normans" have strutted into her in-box and more are sure to arrive in the next few days. It is the first time I've ever taken part in a TIAS and the pace was just right, thank you very much big sister. Although I have to admit I knew what it was going to be right from the start - we don't keep tatting secrets in our family! This is a rooster that I saw in Ireland, it was Mrs. Keneally's, she sold it the day after this photograph was taken! Now I thought that I would try and make another rooster, so I went through all of the many days instructions at once, but unfortunately because it was done at a much quicker pace and late at night, I went wrong and ended up with quite a few spare picots! So to try and cover up my mistakes I gave this rooster a little skirt and now he is an Irish one! What are we all going to do now this TIAS is finished? What is Jane going to do next?

Meet Delilah, a pure white dove who used to live with her little family in the church porch. (I tried to tat some little doves!) It was lovely hearing them cooing away as people entered this ancient place of worship, parts of which date back over a thousand years. The last time the doves were in the porch Delilah sat on two eggs and eventually two little chicks were hatched. Unfortunately they both died by falling out of the nest, which was balanced on one of the porch beams. But the final blow came when the porch wood needed renewing and the banging and sawing was really too much and Delilah and her partner decided to fly away and have never returned, nearly three years ago. Everyone misses Delilah she even regularly wrote about her life in the parish magazine. This is Pam Palmers dove but I had a little trouble making it so it might not be exactly as per instructions! A dove is a sign of peace throughout the world, it is often seen carrying an olive branch (not an icicle!) as in the...

Over the next few posts I’m going to show you three different birds, all I have tatted and all have a story behind them. To start with is the Robin. We associate this little fellow with Christmas, he pops up on many of the cards we send and receive. Robins on Christmas cards are usually surrounded by snow and to make the picture complete a sprig of holly is often seen. The pattern for this little robin was in a Ring of Tatters magazine some years ago designed by Anthea Rowley . After I made him I immediately gave him away to someone named Robin and had to borrow him in order to post this picture. I couldn't tat him again as I only saved half the pattern! The instructions say to sew white cotton for the eye, although if I ever have the opportunity to make him again I would use a bead for the eye. There is a legend that the robin plucked the thorns from the bloodied head of the crucified Christ and so earned his red breast. In the 19 th century people in England called their post...

We are still in the grip of freezing weather, which means that many events have been cancelled and schools have been closed. This icicle I designed some years ago (the dove is carrying it on my blog header). Since I have now discovered how to cover rings, it would perhaps look better if I covered the ring it is attached to. Here is Jon's "Magic Moment Snowflake" very appropriate for the weather outside! It's a lovely pattern, thank you Jon for your generosity in sharing it. Here is the link I have only seen this pattern tatted with variegated thread, instead I have used two plain colours. Here is a picture taken from space a few days ago of the "big freeze" And here is a picture of the church I conducted a service in this morning. The village where it is situated is called Chilworth - and it was very chilly! And so because of the "big freeze" my husband has been unable to make any more shuttles, although I'm going to have to show you some ...

Today is the feast of Epiphany when we remember the wise men or magi who guided by a star were led to the infant Jesus and presented him with gifts. I was in a supermarket just after Christmas and was led to buy these stars, they were left in a box on the shelf abandoned, unloved and reduced for a quick sale, so thinking that perhaps they could be embellished with a piece of tatting, I purchased them, and now extremely pleased I did. I used the middle piece of a pattern designed by Jane (only I can't find it on her pattern page!). The only difference is that I added beads. It is a pattern that I have fond memories of as it is mainly self closing mock rings, 6 of them and a few split rings, ten years ago I “cut my teeth” on learning how to make SCMRs with this pattern. The gifts these travellers from the East gave were. Gold (this is one of the gold stars which were also included in the box) Frankincense and Myrrh I was given the Frankincense and Myrrh recently from someone who had...

A church service that is popular in Britain during December and January is the Christingle Service. This special service has been adopted by the Children’s Society, a charity that helps vulnerable children. It is a way of fundraising and bringing families and communities together. Christingle services have been held up and down the country in churches and schools for over 40 yrs and even when the children (who are usually the ones this service is aimed for) have grown up their parents still come back, year after year, to soak in the atmosphere of a Christingle service. Here is a Christingle I tatted last week During the service a christingle is given to every child who attends (and very often adults) and in return they give a donation towards the work of the Children’s Society. At some point the lights are switched off and we sing a carol by candlelight. We also have buckets of water ready, just in case! I took this photograph myself when the lights went out and this is actually my ha...